Delhezi Bichir over eating???

[ytyler31]

Hi Folks, a little worried. I have a 5" Delhezi that gorges himself during each feeding. I feed cut fish and sinking carnivore pellets, he gorges to the point of where he looks like he will pop. Has anyone ever seen this behavior before, is it dangerous? I feed for 2, tank mate is a Weeksii bichir, but the Delhezi eats everything!

Note: he does not have a blockage as he poops normally and the swelling goes down after 2-3 days.

 

[ytyler31]

BTW, I currently have a lapradei, ornate, senegal, endlicheri , and a weeksii, none have ever gorged themselves to this extent.

 

[Krismo962]

Common problem with CB bichirs,they don't have an 'off switch' when it comes to food.

 

[ytyler31]

Common problem with CB bichirs,they don't have an 'off switch' when it comes to food.

Thanks for the insight, but this is a wild caught purchased from Predatory Fins...have you ever heard of any reports of a ruptured digestive track? I guess I may need to add a divider to my grow out tank to feed them separately.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Hi Folks, a little worried. I have a 5" Delhezi that gorges himself during each feeding. I feed cut fish and sinking carnivore pellets, he gorges to the point of where he looks like he will pop. Has anyone ever seen this behavior before, is it dangerous? I feed for 2, tank mate is a Weeksii bichir, but the Delhezi eats everything!

Note: he does not have a blockage as he poops normally and the swelling goes down after 2-3 days.

View attachment 1497832

Damn, I’ve never seen that before and I’ve had some greedy polys
H Hao Phu

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Stomach packing. They don’t have an off switch. Let food sit in tank for a little while and then take all out. My can sen does the same thing.

 

[ytyler31]

Stomach packing. They don’t have an off switch. Let food sit in tank for a little while and then take all out. My can sen does the same thing.

Thanks, I feed at night before bed, when I wake up the Delhezi looks like this...sucks because the Weeksii in the same tank is a slow eater. I will make an egg crate divider for the tank this weekend to prevent the over eating.

 

[tlindsey]

Thanks, I feed at night before bed, when I wake up the Delhezi looks like this...sucks because the Weeksii in the same tank is a slow eater. I will make an egg crate divider for the tank this weekend to prevent the over eating.

If Bichirs are fully mature no need to feed every day. I personally feed my larger Polypterus every other day.

 

[ytyler31]

If Bichirs are fully mature no need to feed every day. I personally feed my larger Polypterus every other day.

Agreed, my big girls eat cut fish and Massivore pellets once every 2-3 days to prevent fatty liver. I have kept bichir for 8+ years and this is the first time seeing this issue, so I was thrown off. Once the Delhizi is about 8in, she will be going into the show tank and will need to compete...shouldn't have a problem with the gorging in there.

Show tank 200 Gallon

1. Red Oscar
2. Red Bay Snook
3. Synodontis eupterus
4. Clown Loach
5. Senegal Bichir
6. Ornate Bichir
7. Endlicheri Bichir
8. Lapradei Bichir